Chapter Two

Covered in sweat, she moved to a bench, pulled off her gloves, and grabbed her bottle. Hari felt better.

Lorry came in and settled near her. “So, the governor?”

“Yup. Five years ago, I stood in his ballroom covered in blood. Today, he showed up at the bar because I hit a vampire with a frying pan.” More water went down her throat.

“Was that a smart idea?”

“They were going to eat Cinnamon. The girls don’t call me unless they have to. When they do, I bring the pan.”

He smiled. “And get us on the line.”

“Yup. The manager doesn’t hesitate anymore.”

The half-elf smiled. “Which is good. We are much more effective if we are actually there.”

“Yeah. That was my point.”

Lorry nodded. “So, now, why is the governor sniffing after you? He doesn’t do that. He never does that.”

She chuckled. “Once upon a time, he chose me, but I was in rough shape and left before anything could be finalized. Then he retreated, and the lawsuits started.”

“Right. So, it’s over?”

She grinned. “Yeah. Now I can get a little of my own back.”

“That isn’t a good look. Does the governor know you are doing it?”

“Nope. None of his business.”

“So, you are just going to pretend that he doesn’t consider you his consort?”

“Absolutely.” She grinned and unwrapped her hands. “He won’t touch me until I okay it, and I have shit to do. Plus, there is another issue that I have that requires some negotiation, and it isn’t a simple fix. He isn’t going to want to deal with it.”

Lorry chugged some water and then said, “What does it entail?”

“An opener with heavy binding capabilities.”

“Oh. Damn.”

“Yeah, it isn’t just my hands and feet that heal.” She got up, stretched, and nodded. “I am going to send a few messages and get some rest. I am going to have to explain myself a little, but that will wait until I am asleep.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You don’t have to.” She smiled and gathered her things. She said, “Have a nice day. Don’t forget that report.”

“It’s done.”

“Excellent. I will take all my donut-scarfing comments back. See you later.”

He chuckled, and she headed to the lockers, got her stuff, and used her key to head upstairs to her apartment. She was within walking distance of work and right above her favourite place to hang out.

She showered, got her clothes ready for the next day, and crawled into bed. Despite the curtailed adrenaline of the evening, she yawned as she settled on her pillow. She debated taking a sedative to curtail the conversation she was about to have, but she didn’t run from things.

Hari sat up and looked around her, surprised as always when he directed her to his bedroom. “Boy, are you optimistic.”

Zerul was sitting in his chair and looking at her with a smile. “Always. Has your rage subsided?”

“Yes. No. I was able to work it out.”

He held out his hand, and she walked toward him. It had taken years for him to build trust in her, even in the dreamscape. She was wearing a silk nighty with cropped-out sides, and he was wearing silk trousers. Even in the dreamscape, the texture of the fabric was always exact.

“I do appreciate the strength you possess, Anhara.” His fingers closed around hers and pulled her onto his lap.

When he lowered his head to hers, she kissed him softly. He smiled and leaned back. “We have much to discuss.”

Hari sighed. “You won’t be distracted?”

“No. You have an appointment with an opener the day after my party.”

She paused. “You are kidding. I thought you couldn’t find one.”

“The one most suitable has retired, but the second stringer is now coming here for the honour of getting your body to hold.”

“This is embarrassing.”

“No, it is necessary, or you will be uncomfortable when we come together. I do not want that. When it comes to having you in my arms, I want you relaxed and not anticipating pain.”

His hand slipped into the cutout in her nighty and rubbed her back.

“Hm. So, how long are you going to keep Serel silent?”

“Until you ask her to speak. You will control her access to her voice.”

“Well, that will go down well in court.”

“You are taking her to court?”

“Oh, yes. There is no statute of limitations on sexual assault, and I am going to sue her in civil court as it is obvious to even the blindest person that the dress from that night was bought for me, the shoes were for me, and she spoke to Eberhart on the day, and he was known for forced sex.”

“I should have kept a closer eye on the court.”

“You didn’t have the energy to stay awake. But now that you are up and around, keep a tighter leash on your psychic drinkers.”

“That has been in effect for years. No one even tries to feed from a partner under my roof without asking permission.”

“That sounds so odd.”

He grinned and chuckled. “They caught on quickly.”

She saw an image of Prolen feeding from Serel and Zerul’s hands pulling his deputy off his mistress. Prolen hit the wall with a thud, and Serel sobbed and covered the bite wound as it seeped blood. She whined and crawled toward Zerul, but he kept out of her grasp.

The demonstration had been done while everyone was in the same salon in the mansion. Couples sprang apart, bowed, and left his home.

Hari looked up at him. “That’s pretty harsh.”

“If I can’t have my consort, no one can. I am petty like that.” He curled a finger through her hair and smiled. “That little imp, in particular, kept me from you, and that, I will not forgive. As soon as you are installed, she is banned from the premises and possibly the city. I will leave that up to you.”

“Oh, I have my own plans for her. She should be finding out by the end of the day.”

“Anhara, what are you doing?”

“Suing her within an inch of her life. I have a lawyer, and she doesn’t particularly care for Serel either.”

“I see. What are you suing for?”

“The dress. The lost wages. The shoes. The social stigma. She meant for me to be there and directed that bastard straight at me. She is an accessory to his death after the fact.”

“Interesting. I had not thought of it that way.”

“My lawyer and I brainstormed. The district attorney has been approached, and proof has been presented. He will proceed if we win our case.” She knew her face was taking on a sinister cast.

“Shall I help?”

“Did you know that Eberhart was rapey?”

“Predatory, yes. It was considered a bonus to have him in the ranks. He scared off other predators.”

“Then, you might get your ass sued as well.”

He nuzzled her cheek. “My ass can take it.”

She snorted and slapped his chest.

His laugh was wicked. “Yours can, too, if memory serves me.”

“Perv.”

“Well, we slowly went through all things that triggered you, and then we went through them spontaneously, and then we got a little freaky. I appreciate your sense of adventure.”

“If we were face-to-face, I would never have even let you touch me.”

He sighed. “I know, but you have.”

“What?”

“You have let me touch you. Even a small kiss.”

“Damn.”

“Well, it is only mid-morning. What shall we do with the rest of your sleeping time?”

“Don’t you have to sleep?” She had asked the question before but could not remember the answer.

He nuzzled her neck. “Some days I do, some days I don’t.”

She gasped and turned her head. “So, what are you anyway? You aren’t a demon. They feel different.”

He chuckled and kissed her deeply, his tongue teasing as he tasted her and coaxed her into participating.

By the time she straddled him, she forgot all questions and just closed her eyes to feel.

Hari jerked awake and coughed. Smoke. So much smoke in her apartment.

She grabbed a tee and shorts from her clean gym bag and dialled her phone. “Emergency, how can I help you?”

“Hi. My name is Anhara Venker, and my apartment is full of smoke. The door is hot, and the smoke is thickening. My address is Nineteen Lever Avenue. I am in the apartment upstairs.” She coughed and talked to the speaker as she got dressed. “It’s getting hot in here, and the urge to open the window is becoming overwhelming.”

“Don’t. The fire department is on its way. Stay away from your door and keep low to the ground. Can you see the fire anywhere?”

“No, just a lot of smoke. It seems like they lit the gym beneath me on fire.”

“Keep low and keep talking to me.”

“I am going to wet a towel and put it over my mouth.”

“As long as you don’t get closer to the smoke or fire.”

She got to her knees, grabbed a tea towel, and turned on the tap. Green fire shot out of her faucet. She shouted and tried to turn the flow off, but the fire was filling her sink.

“Oh, shit. This is mage fire. It’s filling my sink and coming toward me. I am about to backdraft the shit out of this place.”

“Miss, please. Stay calm. The fire engine is there.”

Hari grabbed the fire blanket and lined up with the window. “I am calm. There is about to be broken glass and a projectile on fire. I am coming out.”

She inhaled through the tea towel while the dispatcher was trying to tell her that she needed to stay still. The fire was spilling toward her, seeking her out. Fuck that.

She focused and screamed at the window, watching it crack and shatter as she came flying out through the shards. Her room exploded in a ball of green flame behind her.

She fell. Arms caught her and moved her to the ambulance. Hari looked left and right to find the man she was looking for.

“Easy, miss. That is quite the blaze.”

She was sucking air in and coughing wildly. The medic gave her an oxygen mask, and the second one checked her skin and body. There was a clip on her finger, and she sat in the shadow of the vehicles while everything she owned burned with eerie green flames.

She looked around and hummed. She rasped out, “Do you have any isopropyl alcohol?”

One of the medics paused. “Why?”

“Pour it on the ground. About a cup should do.”

The medic went into the truck and brought out the bottle. He poured half of it on the ground. The pool waved and flickered, and then the vapour caught light with the eerie green flame. The flame traced to a man who appeared to be in his mid-twenties, who was staring at the blaze.

One of the firefighters was on the ball and jumped the mage and pounded him into the pavement.

Hari looked at the apartment, and the fire died out. “Damn it.”

She coughed, and the mask was pressed onto her face.

The medics urged her into the ambulance as her hair crumbled around her. Her skin was showing signs of heat exposure. She was blistering. Delightful.

Hari settled in the ambulance, and as the door closed, she saw a dark car pull up. She chuckled. “You might want to get going.”

The medic who was stabilizing her paused. “We will. The governor came to inspect the scene. He hasn’t been out in ages.”

The door to the ambulance was wrenched open, and Zerul, wearing a three-piece suit and dark glasses, was staring at her. She lifted a hand in greeting and kept breathing through the mask. “Hey. You are up early, Zerul.”

“Our dream was cut off, and then I was told about the fire. Why aren’t you healing?”

“I am. It’s just slow. Mage fire sucks.”

The medic spoke in a strangled voice. “You know the governor?”

He smirked. “Intimately. She’s my consort. Take her to the hospital and have her checked out. I will be there within the hour. Make sure she is well-treated, and you will be rewarded.”

Her skin had ceased burning and was repairing itself slowly, but she was pretty sure she looked like scorched hell.

The medic stammered assurances and strapped her down as the door closed, and the ambulance pulled away with sirens shrieking.

She mumbled, “I wondered how his sunglasses go over his ears and under his horns.”

The medic stared at her. “You are his consort?”

“He keeps saying it. Maybe it’s a manifestation thing.” She coughed and tried to curl up, but she was strapped down.

“Lay still. What is happening to your skin?”

“I am healing myself. It’s a thing that I do.” She coughed. “This damage should take about six hours, but my hair is going to stay fucked.”

The medic frowned and made some notes.

They arrived at the hospital four minutes later, and the paramedic spoke to the admitting nurse for a few moments after the gurney was down. She was wheeled through to an elevator and up for a few floors. There was security greeting the elevator, and nurses in expensive-looking scrubs intercepted her, wheeling her to a private room.

The oxygen mask was removed, a cannula was put into her nostrils, and the tests began.

“Aren’t I supposed to get assessed before being put in a room?”

One of the nurses smiled. “Not when you are the governor’s consort. What’s he like?”

“Ask him yourself. He’s right behind you.” She sighed.

Zerul walked to her side and held her left hand, kissing the inside of her wrist. “That was very clever.”

“Jumping out the window and frying myself?”

“No, the alcohol to find the mage. One of the firemen is a half-ogre, and he detained the attacker. All roads are leading to Serel.”

She smirked. “I read a lot, and I am not surprised. She freaked when she saw you at the club.”

The nurse paused and finally blurted out, “We need to take X-rays.”

Zerul shrugged. “So, take them.”

“Oh, yes, sir.”

He remained in the room while her lungs were scanned with the portable X-ray.

The doctor and tech looked at the scans and spoke to Zerul. “There is some smoke damage, but she appears to be healing.”

“She is good at it.” Zerul smiled.

“Your consort appears quite fit, and her skin is changing to a healthy appearance rather quickly.”

Zerul took her hand. “She has skills.”

Hari snorted. “Yeah, but my hair is still fucked up, so it isn’t like I get out of this unscathed.”

Zerul smiled. “It is an easy fix to the right mage.”

“I only know alternative mages.” She snorted and then coughed. “No one specializes in hair.”

“You would be surprised.”

“Yeah, I will be.” She looked at him. “Is there a police report?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I need to go to the bank and get some funds out to get a hotel room, as well as apply for a new license and other cards.”

“You can rest for a day.”

She snarled. “I am not going to pause my life because someone hired a fire mage to take out both the gym and my apartment.”

Zerul lifted her, careful of her IV, and set her on his lap. “May I interest you in a cozy, twenty-room historical structure with updated plumbing? There is a gym and a pool.”

She grimaced. “I am not sure that the roommates would be up to my standards.”

He began running his fingers through her hair, crackling a mess on the ground. “We can work out a roommate agreement and a consort contract.”

“So, it’s a temporary thing?” She looked up at him hopefully.

“No. It is a lifelong commitment, but there are things you can request or demand from me that I will be obligated to provide.

“Oh. Obligation. Sexy.” She snorted. He sat so her back was to him, and he continued to work on her hair.

“You are a conundrum, Anhara.”

“You are the only person who calls me that.” She sighed as he ran his fingertips along her scalp. The slow massage was relaxing as her skin moved through black, red, pink, and to her standard white-blue skin.

“I know, you have mentioned it before. You screamed yourself out?”

“Yeah. I opened the tap, and fire came through. It kept coming after me, so I knew what would happen next.” She shivered and softly sighed as he continued the slow caress of each inch of her scalp. He was working slowly, and her bones were turning to warm jelly.

“This isn’t fair. How do you know how to do that?”

“You may not remember it all, but I have been trying to figure you out for the last five years.” He whispered in her ear, “I am confident I have found a few things that you like.”

“Why don’t you find a nice little twit and make them your consort?”

“I don’t want a twit. I want a woman with intelligence, savagery, and a sense of humour. Also, your energy signature tastes like sex, and that keeps me coming back.”

She tried to move her head, but he kept massaging her scalp. “Well, after a while, you will get tired of it.”

He chuckled. “I won’t. Just being around you satisfies and wakes me in ways I have not previously experienced.”

Being around him put sex first and foremost in her mind. There was something about the horns. He wasn’t a demon, but she didn’t know what he was, and that bit of mystery kept her interested.

“Hm. Can I borrow a hundred bucks so I can get something to wear?”

His chuckle was wicked. “While I despise the circumstances, I am revelling in the chance to dress you. It is an interesting instinct. It is battling with the compulsion to have you naked.”

There was a gasp, and Hari saw a nurse coming in with folded fabric, standing inside the door.

“Is it because I am sitting on him? Trust me, he’s into it.” Hari coughed softly.

“Your skin, Miss Anhara.” The nurse stared.

Hari looked at her arm, and she was pink fading to white-blue. “Faster than normal. Excellent. I can get out of here and try to figure the next few days out.”

“Stay with me. We will get your paperwork settled and get your wardrobe refilled.”

“I don’t have a wardrobe. I have a charred husk of a room. And my favourite place to spend my mornings is gone.”

“It will be fixed. The gym was evacuated when the fire started. You were the only serious casualty.” Zerul murmured in her ear, “As soon as you are comfortable and resting, I will see to getting reconstruction mages to work. I don’t want your attention off me, so your friends and favourite places are safe.”

“That sounds a little narcissistic.”

“I am concerned with your pleasure because it will determine mine. Whether you know it or not, you have been feeding me for the last five years without the benefit of a contract, so I could not reward you properly.” He bent and kissed her neck. “Don’t worry. I have acted in good faith.”

“How?”

“You will see at the party. Oh, you will need a dress.” The chuckle against her skin was wicked.

She sighed. “Are you going to continue to try to get your way?”

“Yes. It’s fun. I expect you to do the same whenever the opportunity arises.” He licked her neck. “You taste like a toasted marshmallow.”

She snorted and looked down at her scorched clothes. There were quite a few holes, and the leggings were only slightly more intact than the shirt.

She relaxed in his arms. “Fine. You can dress me. Once.”

He chuckled. “I will take it. Now, we will just get the doctor’s authorization, and my car will pick us up.”

“Fine. Let’s go.”